Weekly Happiness Note December 18, 2025
Small Holiday Practices That Make a Big Difference
“Calm isn’t found. It’s practiced.”
Happy Thursday,
The holidays can be joyful and meaningful, and still feel overwhelming at times. Calm doesn’t arrive because life slows down or the season goes perfectly. It comes from the small choices we make about how we move through our days. This week’s Happiness Note is an invitation to practice steadiness, care, and perspective in simple, supportive ways that help the season feel more manageable and more meaningful.
This week’s topic and inspiration come from the article: “11 Ways to Ease Stress and Feel Better Over the Holidays.”
💛 Remember the Good
When life speeds up, it’s easy to overlook what’s already here. Remembering the good is not about ignoring stress. It is about widening your lens. Moments of connection, kindness, and gratitude are often quiet, but they matter deeply. When you slow down enough to notice them, the season softens.
Choose presence where you can. Put distractions down when you’re with people you care about. Let yourself fully receive the small gestures, a shared laugh, a thoughtful message, a familiar routine. And when things feel heavy, grounding yourself in gratitude can gently shift your perspective back to what is steady and real.
Tip to remember the good: Reflection exercise: Pause and name three moments from today that brought even a hint of ease, warmth, or connection.
Reflection: What’s Worth Noticing
What is already supporting you this season, even in subtle ways? Take a moment to acknowledge it. You can write it down, share it with someone you trust, or reflect quietly.
🌿 Feel Your Best
Feeling your best during the holidays is not about perfection or restriction. It is about support. When your body and mind are cared for, everything feels more manageable. Rest, nourishment, movement, and time away from constant stimulation are not luxuries. They are foundations.
Notice how much better the day feels when you are well rested, fueled, and not endlessly plugged in. Simple choices such as eating real food most of the time, stepping away from screens, getting outside, or even smiling intentionally can lift your energy and lighten your mood. These small acts of care add up.
Tip to feel your best: Reflection exercise: Ask yourself, “What would support my energy today: rest, nourishment, movement, or quiet?”
Reflection: Supporting Yourself Well
Where are you already doing a good job taking care of yourself? What is one small adjustment that might help you feel steadier this week?
🔄 Reset as Needed
Not every moment of the holidays needs to be solved. Sometimes the most powerful reset is giving yourself permission to pause. Shelving difficult conversations, simplifying plans, or letting go of unnecessary expectations can create immediate relief.
When stress rises, remind yourself that this season, like everything, is temporary. A few slow breaths can help quiet the nervous system and shift your perspective. Less really can be more. Space, simplicity, and gentleness allow you to meet the moment with greater clarity and calm.
Tip to reset: Reflection exercise: Take one deep breath in, hold for four, and slowly exhale. Repeat once more.
Reflection: Creating Ease
What could you gently set aside, simplify, or release right now? A small reset can change how the whole day feels.
This Week’s Quote:
Grateful Jake
A homework assignment on gratitude leaves Jake completely stumped. After all, he’s just an ordinary 8-year-old boy – what’s so great about that? But a weekend of adventures opens his eyes to the true meaning of gratitude, and just how lucky he is that it’s always within his reach.
This engagingly illustrated picture book will help introduce your young readers to the concept of gratitude, and the accompanying Grateful Jake Resource Guide will help you expand on those ideas with activities your whole family will enjoy.
Disclaimer: This newsletter’s advice and strategies are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, we cannot guarantee outcomes or be held liable for any consequences of using or misusing the information provided. We encourage you to seek professional advice or consult with qualified experts for guidance related to your particular needs.
Really appreciate the framing that calm is practiced, not found. That shift away from waiting for the perfect conditions to create space internally is subtle but powerful. Last year I kept thinking everything would slow down after one more event, and it never did until January hit. The idea of intentionally noticing three good moments throughout the day feels way more doable than trying to overhaul everything. I've found that even just recognizing when I'm well-rested versus runningon fumes changes how manageable things feel. Simple adjustments really do compound.